hmm - removing the backslash causes MS Access to throw a new error: Warning - Missing Operator

CurrentDb.Execute "INSERT INTO configuration (configuration_title, configuration_key, configuration_value, configuration_description, configuration_group_id, sort_order, set_function, date_added) VALUES ('Expected Sort Order', 'EXPECTED_PRODUCTS_SORT', 'desc', 'This is the sort order used in the expected products box.', '1', '8', 'zen_cfg_select_option(array('asc', 'desc'), ', now());"

The only difference is the removal of the backslash. This code should in fact be valid. It certainly relates to this portion of the code:
'zen_cfg_select_option(array('asc', 'desc'), ', now());"

I tried replacing (array('asc', 'desc'), ', now());"

with

(array('asc', 'desc'), '', now());"

But this did not work.

Any ideas anyone?